Hydraulic log barking machine having support for log-rotating rollers tiltable to laterally discharge the log



HYDRAULIC LOG BARKING MACHINE HAVING SUPPORT 7 FOR LOG-ROTATING ROLLERS TILTABLE TO LATERALLY DISCHARGE THE LOG Filed May 16, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Nov. 13, 1951 E c HAW 2,575,302

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HYDRAULIC LOG BARKINO MACHINE HAVING SUPPORT FOR LOG-ROTATING ROLLERS TILTABLE T0 LATERALLY DISCHARGE THE LOG Filed May 16, 1946 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 .II .LL

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ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 13, 1951 I HYDRAULIC LOG BARKING MACHINE nAvme SUPPORT FOR LOG-RO'L'AIING ROLL- ERS TILTABLE TO LATERALLY ms-- CHARGE THE LOG Ernest 0. Shaw, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application May 1c, 1946, Serial No. 670,133

7 Claims. (01. 144-208) The present invention relates to improvements in log handling and log barking machinery. More particularly the invention relates to an improved structure for handling a log and submitting the entire surface thereof to action of 'a' barking tool or hydraulic barking jet.

' It is already known to subject a log surface to the action of a hydraulic jet for bark removal and cleaning. It is also known to support a log, "during cleaning, between spaced rotatable bed rollspa-ralel to the log axis, as shown in the United States patent to E. C. Shaw and W. C. Hagmaier, No. 2,338,136, issued January 4, 1944.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved log handling device for feeding and discharging logs laterally to and from operative relation to a log treating tool.

Another object is to provide a housed hydraulic barker with lateral log feeding, positioning and discharging mechanism.

Still another object is to provide in a barker "a tiltable parallel roll mechanism for handling a log in a manner to present its entire surface to-action of a stream of water under the most favorable conditions for complete bark removal, andlaterally discharge the same subsequent to treatment.

. The above and still further objects and advantages can best be carried into practical effect as described hereinbelow with reference to the .drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a, vertical cross sectional view on the line of Fig. 2, of a log barker according t the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal view of the barker of Fig. l, as viewed from the left, with parts shown in section and broken away.

. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, in which like reference characters indicate similar parts throughout the several views, the base I is provided with a water and bark disposal trough 2. On the rectangular base I, a housing is erected having a side wall 3 with feed door 4, and a side wall 6 having a discharge door 1. Doors 4 and I are preferably hinged at their upper edges to swing inwardly and outwardly,

respectively, as shown. End walls 8 and 9 of the housing may be provided, as shown, with suitable aligned bearings II and I2 in which is j'ournalled a bed roll I3, having a shaft l4 and a log engaging surface It, substantially cylindrical in form, extending approximately parallel to the sides of the housing. As shown in Fig. 1, "conical centering surfaces IB may be provided on the ends of roll |3 to limit axial movement of a log during treatment.-

(not shown) is provided for rotating 7 ing I9 generally forming apices of a triangle with the bearing on shaft constituting the third apex.

A second log supporting roll 2| has a shaft 22 journalled in bearings l8, and log engaging surfaces 23. Roll 2| is held parallelto roll l3 by supporting arms I! which mayor may not be connected by a rigid framework (not shown) extending parallel to rolls I3 and 2|.

A connecting rod 24 connects bearings |9.with the piston rods of a, pair of hydraulic servomotors, or other suitable mechanisms 26, operable by a manualcohtrol 2'! to swing arms l1 equally on their'piv'ots M. This motion tilts the common plane of the rotational axes of rolls I3 and 2| through a definite range of inclination from zero, or horizontal, as shown in solid lines, to a maximum, as represented by, the broken lines in Fig. 1, for a purpose'to be described here.- inafter.

The surfaces l6 and 23 of rolls |3 and 2| may be suitably knurled, fluted or otherwise roughened in any known manner to effect goodfrictional driving engagement with log, surfaces. Such characteristic roughening of surfaces has been omitted from the drawing for the sake of simplicity, butis shown, in United States Paten No. 2,338,136 referred to hereinabove. j

At one side of the housing. is a feed table. This table may consist" ofa suitable inclined skidway 28 provided with log'detent or releasing mechanism 29 of known suitable type for serially releasing logs from the skidway, one at a time, under the control of an operator. The skidway 28 may have portions extending through door 4 into close proximity to the uppermost surface of roll I3, so that a log released by mechanism 29 will roll over roll |3 and, if roll 2| is in its uppermost position, will lodge in the'crotch between the upper surfaces lfi'and 23 of rolls |3 and 2|, being held there by the force of gravity and rotated by frictional engagement with the roll surfaces [6 and 23 when one or both of the rolls |3 and/or 2| is turned. 3 A driving mechanism such as a chain drive 3| from a motor one or both of these rolls 3 and/or 2|.

Stop beam 32 may be provided in the housing to prevent logs fed to the machine from table 28 from rolling overroll 2| when being placed in the machine, and during operation. I A discharge table orskidway 34 has a portion projecting through door I from adjacent roll 2| at a level below that of shaft I4, for receiving logs discharged from the crotch between the rolls by gravity dumping action when roll 2! is dropped by arms ll to' a suitable level. Such log will pass, by gravity, through door I and down the suitably inclined skidway 34.

On the upper part of the housing, a pair of guide rods 38 and 36' support a carriage 3! movable longitudinally of the 1102 11 8 pdl 'h elto t rolls. Carriage 31 carries, in suitably keyed relation, a threaded shaft 38 engaging a rotatable nut 39 turned as by a gear pinion 4! or a nozzle control motor 42 mountedon the carriage. A

suitable known limit switch arrangement (not shown) may be employed to automatically stop motor 42 at the limits of travel of shaft 38. Shaft 38 extends into the housing and carries a hydraulie nozzle 43 connected by a flexible conduit 44 with a. source not shown) of hydraulic fluid under high pressure. Conduit 44 may be partially supported by a roller carriage 46 running in a slot 41 in the housing.

" Ngzzle 43 'is held in a manner to direct a jet of hydraulic fluid downwardly into the trough or crotch between the rolls l3 and 2| in such a manner as to impinge on'the surface of an object such as a log or other roughly cylindrical body placed in the crotch. The nozzle tip may be pesitioned by shaft 38 at the most effective distance from the log surface regardless of log size, within areasonable range of sizes.

' The jet is horizontally movable in a vertical plane intermediate of and parallel to the roll taxes by axial movement of the carriage 31, in such anianner as to clean the entire surface of 'a'lcg or other body placed on the rolls and rotated thereby. Carriage 31 may be moved axially in any known suitablemanner, as by providing aihr e c nnec i n be w e of t e guide ieds i5. an he c rriag and p v n a reversible variable speed'drive 45 to rotate the threaded rod 35 relative to the carriage as shown P. he drawi g- 1- M 49 .2. is shown as 591. 1% OI qw f eqnnect d. hm e r Sliding rod 43 prQ i ed with a pair of fingers 4Q'may be mounted on he housing in the manner clea y sh w n. t e drawma wi h e ch finger 49 a position to be engaged by a corresponding finger 5i 'onfthe carriage 31, when the carriage nears the ends of its axial travel. Rod 48 may be. attached in operative relation to control drive 45 "to reverse carriage travel at each end of its travel, and may also control a suitable known limit switch arrangement (not shown) to autoinatically stop motor 52 at each end of the carriage travel.

Since log are fed, operated upon and discharged without axial movement the machine r equires a minimum of floor space for operation.

lilo g released by mechanism 29 passes into the crotch between the surfaces of rolls l3 and 21. Roll suriaces IS and 23 of rolls I3 and 2| 7 arr n ed i 1 mann as prevent loss, above a, predetermined minimum size from falling between the rolls. Rolls I3 and 21 act to support a log in parallel relation to the roll axes and to rotate. the log, substantially on its longitudinal axis, in the. plane of the jet path. The jet is moved longitudinally with relation to the. log surface by carriage 31, or other suitable means, and removes a helical strip of bark (or cleans a helical strip of surface. The width of the helical stripv cleaned or barked and the helical pitch established by the speed of carriage 31 in relation to the speed of rotation of the log on its axis, are so chosen as to result in a cleaning, or barking, of the entire log surface.

After treatment, the log, or other body, is discharged by'the operators manipulation .of control 21, which actuates mechanism 26 to tilt the plane of support of bed rolls [3 and 2| until the log is dumped from the rolls under the influence of gravity and passes under stop beam 32, down sxidway 3d and through door I.

The housing prevents bark and water from splashing out into the woodroom. Bark and water fall into discharge trough 2 whence they may pass to screens or suitable disposal means (notshown).

It will be apparent that this invention provides I a simple eiiective, log handling mechanism for presenting a log to barking action of a hydraulic jet and ue to the fact that logs are conveyed laterally to, through and from treating position, the machine will require less floorspace for its operation than machines requiring longitudinal translation of logs.

While a specinc embodimentisillustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, it 18 to be understood that the invention includes such modifications and equivalents as may readily occur to persons skilled in the art to which it appertams within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a log handling device, a base, a feed table mounted on said base for holding a plurality of logs in parallel relation, means for serially feeding logs one by one laterally from one edge (if said table, a pair of log supporting rolls operatively mounted adjacent said edge of said table and having their longitudinal axes in parallel spaced relation, means normally supporting said rolls for rotation with their longitudinal axes in a common substantially horizontal plane for receiving logs fed from said table, log stop means mounted on said base and having a portion closely spaced above the uppermost surface of one of Said, rolls when said rolls are positioned for receiving logs from said table, meansrassociated with said roll support means for tilting the plane of support of said rolls about an axis parallel to. said roll axes in a manner to lower said one roll with respect to said portion of said log stop means, and means for removing logs laterally from said rolls between said one roll and said portion of said log stop means when the plane ofsaid roll axes is in tilted position.

2. In a log handling machine, a housing including side walls, a pair of bed rolls in said housing, support means for said rolls rotatably supporting said rolls with their longitudinal axes parallel in a common plane of support, means associated with said support means and actuable to allow said plane of support to move down.- wardly from a substantially horizontal plane to a tilted position about a tilting axis parallel to said roll axes, a lateral feed door in on side wall of said housing above the, level of said rolls when in their substantially horizontal position, a lateral discharge door in the. opposite side. wall of said housing below the level of said rolls whenin their said substantially horizontal position, said rolls forming a log receiving and supporting ta ble for rotatably holding a log in parallel relation to said roll axes when insaid substantially horizontal plane, and said rolls dumping said log laterally through said discharge door when in said tilted position.

3. In a log handling device, a base, supporting structure mounted on said base, relatively stationary bearings in said structure, a log supporting roll rotatably carried in said bearings, a sec-- ond log supporting roll cooperatively related to said first log supporting roll, roll supporting arms movably mounted on said base, bearings on said arms, said second roll being rotatably carried in the bearings of said arms with its axis of rotation in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of said first roll, means for rotating one of said rolls and means for simultaneously moving said arms to variably incline the plane of the axes of rotation of said rolls.

4. In a log handling machine, a housing including side walls, a pair of bed rolls in said housing, support means for said rolls rotatably supporting said rolls with their longitudinal axes parallel in a common plane of support, means associated with said support means and actuable to tilt said plane of support between a substantially horizontal and a tilted position about a tilting axis parallel to said roll axes, a lateral feed door in one side wall of said housing above the level of said rolls when in their substantially horizontal position, a log stop means in said housing located slightly above the level of said rolls to prevent movement of a log laterally from said bed rolls on the side opposite said feed door, a lateral discharge door in the opposite side wall of said housing, said rolls forming a log receiving and supporting table for rotatably holding a log in parallel relation to said roll axes when in said substantially horizontal plane, and said rolls dumping said log laterally through said discharge door when in said tilted position.

5. In a log handling device, vertical supporting structure, bearings in said structure, a first log supporting roll rotatably carried in said bearings, a second log supporting roll cooperatively related to said first log supporting roll, roll supporting arms movably supported by said structure and swingable about the rotational axis of said first roll, bearings on said arms, said second roll being rotatably carried in the bearings of said arms with the axis of rotation in parallel relation to the axis of rotation of said first roll, means normally operative to support said second roll with its rotational axis in a common substantially horizontal plane with the rotational axis of said first roll, and means associated with said supporting means to cause said supporting means to become inoperative allowing said second roll to swing downwardly about said first roll to a position lower than said first roll to decline the plane of the axes of rotation of said rolls.

6. In a log handling machine, a housing including side walls, a pair of rotatable bed rolls in said housing, support means for said rolls normally supporting said rolls with their rotational axes parallel in a common substantially horizontal plane of support, said rolls forming a log receiving and supporting plane for rotatably holding a log in parallel relation to said roll axes when in a substantially horizontal plane, a lateral feed door in one side wall of said housing above the level of said rolls when in their substantially horizontal position, a lateral discharge door in the opposite side wall of said housing beneath the level of said rolls when in their substantially horizontal position, and means associated with said roll support means and actuable to allow the roll adjacent said discharge door to remain parallel to the other roll but to move downwardly to the approximate level of said discharge door to tilt the log supporting plane of the said rolls and dump said log laterally through said discharge door.

7. In a log handling machine, a housing including side walls, a pair of rotatable bed rolls in said housing, support means for said rolls normally supporting said rolls with their rotational axes parallel in common substantially horizontal plane of support, said rolls forming a log receiving and supporting plane for rotatably holding a log in parallel relation to said roll axes when in a substantially horizontal plane, a lateral feed door in one side wall of said housing above the level of said rolls when in their substantially horizontal position, a log stop means in said housing located slightly above the level of said rolls to prevent movement of a log laterally from said bed rolls on the side opposite said feed door, a lateral discharge door in the opposite side wall of said housing beneath the level of said rolls when in their substantially horizontal position, and means associated with said roll support means and actuable to allow the roll adjacent said discharge door to remain parallel to the other roll but to move downwardly to the approximate level of said discharge door to tilt the log supporting plane of the said rolls and dump said log laterally beneath said stop means and through said discharge door.

ERNEST C. SHAW.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,552,498 Noyes Sept. 8, 1925 1,619,151 Moravec Mar. 1, 1927 1,736,924 Lagus Nov. 26, 1929 1,855,577 Kirkwood Apr. 26, 1932 1,905,387 Kirkwood Apr. 25, 1933 2,342,533 Edwards Feb. 22, 19% 2,395,845 Bukowsky Mar. 5, 1946 2,401,500 Ockfen June 4, 1946 

